Radiator arrangement in a vehicle powered by a combustion engine

Abstract

A radiator arrangement in a vehicle ( 1 ) powered by a combustion engine ( 2 ). The arrangement includes an AC system ( 20 ) with a circulating refrigerant which gives off heat in a condenser ( 12 ) and absorbs heat in an evaporator ( 23 ) and the evaporator is in contact with air close to a cab space ( 24 ) in the vehicle ( 1 ). A line circuit in which circulating coolant comes into heat-transferring contact with the engine ( 2 ). The condenser ( 12 ) is in heat-transferring contact with coolant which circulates through the line circuit. An activator for the AC system ( 20 ) causes coolant to be circulated through the line circuit when the engine ( 2 ) is not in operation. When the engine ( 2 ) is cold, coolant in the line circuit delivers thermal energy it acquires in the condenser ( 12 ).

1 . A radiator arrangement in a vehicle powered by a combustion engine, the arrangement comprising:
 an AC system having a refrigerant circuit for circulating a refrigerant which gives off or absorbs heat;   a condenser through which refrigerant is circulated and gives off heat;   an evaporator through which refrigerant is circulated and absorbs heat, the evaporator is in contact with air close to a cab space in the vehicle;   a compressor comprises refrigerant in the AC system;   a line circuit for circulating coolant;   a coolant circulating pump in the line circuit;   the line circuit being configured for bringing the coolant into heat-transferring contact with the engine;   the condenser of the AC system is also in heat-transferring contact with coolant which circulates through the line circuit;   the radiator arrangement comprises an activation unit which activates the AC system for causing the pump to circulate coolant through the line circuit at times when the engine is not in operation, the activation unit comprises an activation device for activating the radiator arrangement when the engine is not in operation;   a sensor which monitors a parameter related to the temperature of the engine; and   a control unit configured for receiving information from the activation device and for activating the compressor in the AC system, and the activation device also activating the coolant pump in the line circuit when the activation device has been put into an active position and receives information from the sensor which monitors a parameter related to the temperature of the engine, and the activator device causes circulating of coolant through the line circuit only if the engine is at a lower temperature than a reference value (T ref ).   
     
     
         2 . A radiator arrangement according to  claim 1 , further comprising an alternate line circuit for circulating the coolant; and
 the control unit causes circulating of the coolant through the alternative line circuit when the circulating coolant comes into heat-transferring contact with the condenser but not into heat-transferring contact with the engine at times when the engine is at a higher temperature than the reference value (T ref ).   
     
     
         3 . A radiator arrangement according to  claim 2 , further comprising a valve system which can be put into a first state wherein the valve system leads the coolant through the line circuit, or put into a second state wherein the valve system leads the coolant through the alternative line circuit. 
     
     
         4 . A radiator arrangement according to  claim 3 , wherein the alternative line circuit comprises an air-cooled radiator for cooling the coolant, and the radiator arrangement comprises an electrically operated fan configured for forcing air through the radiator when the engine is at a higher temperature than the reference value (T ref ). 
     
     
         5 . A radiator arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the line circuit comprises at least part of a first cooling system having circulating coolant for cooling the engine during its operation and comprises at least part of a second cooling system having circulating coolant which during normal operation of the engine is at a lower temperature than the coolant in the first cooling system. 
     
     
         6 . A radiator arrangement according to  claim 5 , wherein the condenser is in heat-transferring contact with coolant in a region of the line circuit which forms part of the second cooling system. 
     
     
         7 . A radiator arrangement according to  claim 6 , wherein the line circuit comprises at least one line for transfer of coolant between the first cooling system and the second cooling system. 
     
     
         8 . A radiator arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein the line circuit comprises at least part of a first cooling system having circulating coolant for cooling the engine during its operation and comprises at least part of a second cooling system having circulating coolant which during normal operation of the engine is at a lower temperature than the coolant in the first cooling system; and
 the alternative line circuit corresponds to the second cooling system.